ColoradoMountainMom.com
May 29, 2014
Gear Review
Featuring: Tempest 20
Monthly Traffic: 89,500
URL: http://tinyurl.com/pyqqqxa
Versatile, extremely lightweight, and the recent recipient of a Backpacker Magazine’s award (actually
bestowed upon the men’s version, the Osprey Talon) – the Osprey Tempest Women’s Backpack is one to
love. Now that I’m no longer toting my son in a backpack child carrier on the trails, I decided it was time
to try out a new backpack for myself. I’d seen many Osprey packs on the Colorado trails before. So after
my husband showed me the Osprey featured in his magazine, I decided I’d love to try one out. This is a
fantastic, extremely comfortable pack. It comes in various sizes, but this review is of the Osprey Tempest
20. It’s described as a multi-use pack that can be used for either backpacking or hiking. I’ve found it to
have the perfect capacity for my day hike needs, along with some awesome features.
I love that some brands feature packs made just for women. This customizes the fit for added comfort,
and includes adjustments made to the harness, hip belt and torso size. The result? The Osprey Tempest
fits just right! The Tempest features a hydration sleeve compartment, for you to slip in your favorite
reservoir (sold separately). It’s actually external to your main pack compartment, which helps protect
your interior contents. My 100 oz. water reservoir is long, but fits nicely in this slot and can be held in
place at the top by a retention buckle (so the heavy, full reservoir doesn’t slide down). Although a filled
water reservoir fills/pushes out the back panel a bit, slightly changing it’s shape from concave to more
flat, it still allows for great ventilation because of the back panel surface design itself. If you’ve not seen a
pack with this yet (I hadn’t)…it’s really, really cool. You’re going to love it.
We live in a high mountain desert climate, and do a fair amount of hot weather hiking. So pack features
that help keep you cool are most welcome to me. I absolutely love the Airscape™ ridge molded foam
back panel on the Osprey Tempest Women’s Backpack. It’s extremely comfortable, and between that
awesome ridged foam and the air chimney down the back panel – it’s coolest, most comfortable pack that
I have worn.
The Osprey Tempest harness straps are made from BioStretch™, and are “adjustable gender specific
mesh covered slotted foam”. Translation? Extremely soft, comfortable, and cool. I believe wearing
this harness is as close to the feeling of not wearing a backpack at all, that you can get! They also feature
an adjustable sternum strap, so you can adjust to exactly how you want it to fit. Each side of your hip
belt has a handy pocket, which works nicely to hold your phone or an energy bar. It’s made from some
awesome stretch woven fabric, which is really nice quality and after being pulled, stretched, poked,
and prodded – seems quite durable. This same stretch woven fabric is used for the good-sized front
pocket, and the side water bottle pockets. I love the front pocket, and how the fabric holds things
in snugly and securely, yet can stretch and mold to accommodate surprisingly large or odd-shaped
objects (such as my jacket, camera, and some not-squished bananas).
And I’m excited to have the side water bottle pockets made from such an innovative material, as
shot elastic proved to be the death of my former (non-Osprey) backpack’s side pockets. I wondered if the
fit would be too snug to allow for easy removal and addition of a water bottle while hiking… but they slide
in and out easily, even when wearing the pack and reaching behind you.
Another amazing feature is the harness adjustment system, allowing you to lengthen or shorten
the way your pack fits, according to your torso size. Very rare in a non-frame daypack, and an awesome
option to let you get your Osprey Tempest Women’s Backpack perfectly fitted to you. I experienced no
slippage or issues with any of the adjustment straps or closure systems. I don’t personally use them, but
there also is a trekking pole attachment available on the Tempest.
As if all that weren’t enough… when your toddler gets tired of riding his balance bike during your hike, and
sheds his little bike helmet for mom to carry, there’s a nifty helmet attachment clip. The LidLock™
helmet attachment system works likka champ, and is very slick indeed.
In summary, the Osprey Tempest Women’s Backpack ($99) is the lightest, most capable and comfortable
backpack I have ever worn, and I highly recommend it. I’m very impressed with my first introduction to
the Osprey brand, and look forward to many outdoor adventures wearing my Tempest.